This looks fantastic.  The GUI reshuffling looks like it will help a lot of users (new ones mostly).  Still, all the updates look fabulous, I might have to take a look into this program!

Well I am new to Blender as a whole, and honestly I am quite disappointed in the new Blender. I thought that it seemed hard to understand at first (trust me I am slow when it came to learning Blender) But now it seems that it is completely different from the last one, and I can't find anything in the new one. I hope that they work on this a lot more before they release it.

EDIT: Well after spending a little bit more time on it, the new interface is growing on me. Right now there are two things that I would change on it. 

1. It needs more picture buttons. I mean spice it up a little, I get tired of text.
2. I wish that it would be possible to toggle between the new and old interface.

With that said, I was a little quick to judge. There are some things that do make me wonder though. The Blender interface hasn't changed in.....(has it ever changed) so I wonder how that will effect tutorials and I wonder what some die hard Blender fans think of it. 

So now I will quote myself.

"Well I am new to Blender as a whole, and honestly I am quite disappointed in the new Blender."

Yes I am new to Blender, and I am not disappointed in the new Blender, but it seems like such a big jump in GUI (it may turn out good though)

"I thought that it seemed hard to understand at first (trust me I am slow when it came to learning Blender)"

I guess practice makes perfect.

 

"But now it seems that it is completely different from the last one, and I can't find anything in the new one."

Yea it is quite a change for Blender and I was just getting used to the interface too.

"I hope that they work on this a lot more before they release it."

Yes I do hope that they work on it more (yea I know that it is in Alpha), but maybe with the community testing it out they will be able to help Blender make a better product.

To sum this all up, I hate sudden change (but it is necissary and this will probably help the new comers)

And..... I think that Steve has spoiled my when it comes to simplicity that Anim8or was.

Overall, I approve of this and hope that more documentation is coming with it soon.

I've been playing with Blender 2.5 since the first builds come on GraphicAll, though I really haven't seriously looked at it until Alpha 0, which is some semblance to being complete.

I have to say, I am impressed so far.

The interface is widly different, and being a Maya/Blender 2.4x user since now, it's going to take some time to get used to.  Don't invest all your energy into using it yet - according to the release notes, not all of the old functionality from Blender 2.4x is back in Blender 2.5.

However, I see the changes as good.  Blender needed a massive overhaul (both in the backend and in the UI), and even though hardcore users might complain now, they'll be praising it 6 months from now.  I don't sit down at any new graphics application expecting the interface to be "easy" - each one is (usually) designed in a way that makes it intuitive to use, and its just up to the user to get used to workflow, or find another application.

The only thing so far I don't like (and was never used to) are the modeling tools for Blender.  Maybe I can get used to them now.

It needs more picture buttons. I mean spice it up a little, I get tired of text.

Actually, I think text is great (like the Lightwave interface)

1. No UI Clutter
2. No need to figure out what someones convoluted 32x32 icon is supposed to represent
3. Lighter on the app's running memory requirement

The only thing I wish is that development was a little faster paced and not tired to Durian (I can care less about the Open Movies now...)

Personally, I would have been perfectly fine with an internal overhaul and a much less dramatic UI change... I do agree that it will grow on me.

As of right now, it's too unfinished for serious for-client use.  You can probably do your personal work in it, play with the new smoke feature for sure, and report bugs... but don't do commissioned work in it just yet.

While I would have been fine with the old UI, it is nice to see Blender keep up pace with the also-in-progress Lightwave Core overhaul.  They look very similar.

I want to congratulate all the developers working on 2.50, they've done a great job! 

It seems pretty stable for me and I like the new features, but it'll take a while for me to adjust to the new-er way of working in it.

well I think it's epic :)

Well, I would agree that it is pretty awesome, and that it is also very confusing. I tried making a 3D model of my trevuche project in it, and it took me awhile. And that was just with basic shapes like cubes and cylinders. But I think that I will be able to learn it pretty fast as usual, just probably not till christmas break. I am working on a game, which is why I have been so quite. But I will be making the graphics of the game in Blender, so I should be back on and around pretty soon. But anyways, I really like how every little border, button, and anything else you can think of can be color-customized, and with a new gradient feature, so I will definitely "pimp-my-system" as a weirdo would say, as soon as I have time. I already started, and though the availability of the customizing and detail is great, the time that shall be spent on it will also be great. I got like one set of buttons done, and a little more in an hour. But other than that, the update is awesome, and I am not disappointed-just a little set back-but I will do my best to learn it. Andrew Price has made a tutorial to show you where all the buttons have moved, so you should check it out RnDr Fox...>>>http://www.blenderguru.com/whered-that-button-go/